Hinge joint for faceplate doors and the like



stares TENT FFIQE.

esoneri B. THOMAS, on narnGnroRT, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoia To THE BRYANTELECTRIC COMPANY, or Bainenronr, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or ooN-NECTICUT.

arrasar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented vMay 2,` 1922.

Application led December 27, 1921. Serial Hof-524,971.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. THOMAS, a citizen of the'Unitedy States.of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHinge Joints for Faceplate Doors and the like, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to hinge joints and particularly to hinge jointsfor the doors of flush receptacle face plates. The object of theinvention is to provide a hinge joint of simple and strong constructionwell adapted for this service and having certain features of noveltyhereinafter described or shown in the accompanying drawings in whichFig. 1 is a plan view of a face plate in which my invention is embodiedin one form;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal central section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 Fig. l;

Figs. 4L and 5 are plan views respectively of the face plate and doordetached;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the plate and door assembled, but without theV`associated trunnion supports; and

Fig. 7 is a dropped. perspective of one of the trunnion supports inseveral stages of formation.

The present invention is illustrated in a face plate 10 for a flushreceptacle, although its application to any suitable structure will bereadily recognized. The plate is die apertured at 11 and the struck outpiece 12 is utilized to form the door. The plate is preferably of lightweight sheet metal, readily offset at its margins to form beveledflanges 18, and at the screw holes 14 to afford counter-sunk seats forthe screw heads.

In the door-blanking operation, trunnion studs 15 are formed at oppositesides of the door butt 16, and corresponding slots or recesses 17 in thebay 18 of the door opening.

In these respects the construction resembles that shown in theapplication of Gilbert IV. Goodridge, Serial Number 520,242, filedDecember 6, 1921. The present invention relates to the support of thedoor trunnions.

For this purpose, I provide a pair of bearing straps 19 each pierced at20 to receive the trunnions 15, which are preferably rounded to conformto the bearing apertures 20. On each side of the trunnion recesses 17 inthe plate 10, the sides of the bay 18 are cut away at. 22 to accommodatethe straps 19, passedf'therethrough at: right angles to plane oftheplate; If the trunnions 15'be passed through the holes in the bearingstraps 19 before the door 12 is positioned in the opening 11 in theplate 10, the sides 21 of the straps 19'may then be bent over theopposite faces of the plate. thus securing the straps and door inposition on the plate. If preferred, one of the ends may be oEset inadvance of the assembly of the door and strap with the plate, so thatonly one end of each strap, for example that facing the inner side ofthe plate, remains to be bent over into the clamping relation to theplate. In both constructions the hinge joint lies in the plane of theplate.

The present construction has the advantage over that of my co-pendingapplication, filed herewith, that the trunnions 15 on the door may bemaintained their full length, and that the bearings in the strapssupport 'the trunnions close to the door butt 16.

Moreover, inasmuch as the ends 21 of the straps overlie recesses 17throughout their extent, the trunnions 15 are supported not only at thebearing apertures 20, but also beyond the latter by the bent over endsof the straps and the sides of the recesses 17. They are thus stronglysupported throughout their entire length.

. The straps 19 may be cut from the same sheet of metal as that fromwhich the plate 10 is formed to insure homogeneity of color of metal,etc. in the finished article, If preferred however, they may be stampedfrom heavier sheet metal to afford a still stronger support.

While the trunnions 15 are shown on the butt end of the door 12, theymay be formed as inward projections into the bay 18 in the plate, andthe door be recessed to receive them, in which case the ends of thestraps 19 would be faced the opposite way and angled toward each otherover the opposite faces of the door.

Various modifications will readily occur to those dealing with theconstruction, which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

I claim 1. A hinge joint of the type described, comprising a support,and a door hinged thereto, one of said members having a projeeting hingestud in combination with a strap having an aperture fo receive said sindand having its ends bent over the other of'said members to secure saidperfs rogether.

2. A hinge joint of Jthe type described7 comprising a plate having adoor opening Y with lateral recesses extended from opposite sidesthereof, a door for said opening having studs adapted te enter saidrecesses, and straps apertured to receive said studs and having Jheirends angled over opposite faces of the plate to secure said partstogether.

3'. A hinge joint of the type described7 'com rising a late havin@r adoor o enin 15 having their ends angled over opposite faces 20 of theplate to secure said parts together, said ends overlying the lateralrecesses of the door opening to afford an extended bearing for the studslying therein.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my25 naine to this specification.

GEORGE B. THOMAS.

